Sassari, the capital of Capo di Sopra, developed from the merger of a number of separate villages, clearly recorded in the names of some of its monuments, such as San Pietro di Silki, San Giacomo di Taniga, San Giovanni di Boscove. The name of the town is first mentioned in an early register dating back to 1131, which came to light in the monastery of San Pietro in Silki.

Historic centreThe original centre of the town of Sassari was once encircled by walls and gates dating back to the XII and XIV century. Today it extends around the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II which traces the route of the medieval Plata de Codinas. This road connects Piazza Castello to the south and Piazza Sant'Antonio to the north, cutting through the quarter with its narrow climbing lanes. Piazza Castello takes its name from the old Aragonese castle built around 1330 and used for a long time as a court by the Inquisition, only to be demolished in 1877. In its place today we find the La Marmora barracks, dating back to the end of the nineteenth century and housing the “Brigata Sassari” History Museum dedicated to the heroes and the military exploits of this infantry regiment during the First World War.The Church of Madonna del Rosario rises on the western side of the square, embellished with the lavish Baroque gilt carved altar dating back to the second half of the seventeenth century.The Civic Theatre lies along the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in the area where the town hall once stood. It was built in 1826 by Giuseppe Cominotti on the model of the famous Carignano of Turin. To the north we find the Church of Sant'Andrea, whose seventeenth century facade is inspired by Ligurian models.Piazza Sant'Antonio at the end of the Corso, hosts the Church of Sant'Antonio Abate, completed in 1709 and preserving in its interior the sumptuous and lavish altar in gilt inlaid wood by Bartolomeo Augusto and a panel painted in the first half of the sixteenth century portraying Saint Deacon, attributable to the Master of Castelsardo.Part of the old medieval walls with a battlemented tower are to be found to the left of the square, while in the centre rises Sant'Antonio’s column created by Eugenio Tavolara in 1954.

The Monte Rosello QuarterThe Monte Rosello quarter lies beyond Piazza Mercato at the beginning of Via Pascoli, and is connected to the early nucleus of Sassari by a bridge called Ponte Littorio, inaugurated in 1934 and today known as Ponte Rosello.In its immediate vicinity we find the famous Rosello Fountain, one of the most remarkable monuments in the history of art in Sardinia. It is an elegant monument erected by Genoese artists in the early Seventeenth century and is modelled in strict Mannerist style, an artistic movement popular in Italy in the second half of the XVI century. The fountain is comprised of two large caissons lying one on top of the other and is brought to life by a number of statues. Its suggestive two-coloured marble really catches the eye amidst the green of the park where it lies, at just a few metres from what used to be Sassari’s wash-house.By continuing along Via Pascoli and turning into Via Grazia Deledda, Via Manzoni and Via Prati, you can go through the Baddimanna pine forest until you reach the Brigata Sassari Monument: a simple construction in granite and metal built in 1982. By turning into Via Sulcis, the continuation of Via Manzoni, and continuing along the Eba Chiara viaduct, it is possible to get to the Church of San Francesco, dating back to the XVII century.

The Porcellana quarterThe Porcellana residential quarter started developing in the thirties in response to the need for extra housing caused by the population boom of those times. As well as a number of University Departments, the Porcellana Quarter contains Viale Italia, which has become the main artery of the town and is almost in front of the Garibaldi Hemicycle, the wide open space of the public gardens functioning as Sassari’s lungs.By turning to the left off Viale Italia, you can reach the Church of San Pietro of Silki, founded in the XII century. The façade which rises over the atrium was built in 1675; the lower part of the bell tower from the XIII century remains from a previous construction phase. The carved wooden main altar, dating from the XVII century, is of great value.After going right the way along Viale Italia you can visit the public gardens. A walk around its little paths is of great interest, not only for its natural attractions but also for the presence of the “Eugenio Tavolara” Pavilion of Craftwork. This pleasant structure, representative of one of the most significant moments of modern building, was built by Ubaldo Badas in 1956 as a place to exhibit Sardinian craftwork and to enhance its image in the public eye. In the midst of all this green, the building is an interesting combination of materials and shapes; square spaces, interrupted by luminous windows, are fitted together to host large indoor exhibition areas, arranged around a central courtyard. The interior staircase is of great value decorated with soapstone bas-reliefs depicting the “Cavalcata Sarda” (Sardinian Horseback Parade) and bearing the signature of the famous contemporary artist Eugenio Tavolara.Nowadays the pavilion houses pieces of Sardinian craftwork such as jewellery, baskets and tapestries.